Proud Mama

I knew of course that Allison was a bright little girl.  She's been speaking and carrying on conversations since she was about 18 months old; she's known her alphabet and how to count since about then too; letter sounds came early; and she easily is reading at least at a fourth grade level at least in word call and usage since mid-kindergarten.  


At the end of the school year last year (kindergarten), Allison's class took the ITBS (Iowa Tests of Basic Skills).   I know as well as others that testing are all really very subjective. There are so many factors that have effect on the results of children's achievement testing.  That's why it is and has been such a conflicted and debated subject.  However, it is, by nature, something that we may put a lot of stock into, whether we want to verbally admit it to others.  As educators, it does play a part in the overall assessment of a child in their classroom...along with the day to day work, testing, and anecdotes.  The state and federal departments of education and other funding agencies and licensing agencies put a lot more stock into the test scores.  As a private school, however, with small class sizes, we don't always see the testing results in general because they only post on the education website those classes with at least 10 (I think) students.  


Well, anyway, the school sent home a little envelope with the test results in it.  I had been looking forward to seeing this information, but I didn't know that was what was in this little blue envelope before I opened it.  There was a multi-folded 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper with typing on it, and a small slip of paper, maybe 1 1/2 inch x 11 inches.  I held my breath. I know, I know....   But at that moment, the whole worth of me as a mother, and Allison's success (or not) in school all lay in balance in that little strip of paper.  The large piece of paper was written by the school principal to try to assist in reading the test results.  


The tests assessed Vocabulary, Word Analysis, Listening, Language, Mathematics, and the Core Total.  My little miss got the highest score possible pretty much in all areas.  Whew! I am so proud of her.!!!  I am not necessarily proud of how much pressure I put on myself to have Allison be successful.  I try really really hard not to put undue stress on her! I do realize that about myself.  However, I just want her to be the most successful, well-adjusted (:-) child that I can....   I also think education is soooo extremely important.  It's what makes a person who they are.  Education doesn't necessarily mean all book and paper and in-school learning. It is LIFE and being exposed to different experiences and being curious and wanting to learn about different things.  


At any rate, I am so thankful that she is doing so well in school, and in education, and in life.  Now, we just need to continue our hard work, and keep that moving forward.  I think we'll do just fine. 


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